Tribune reporter

Packers, Lions likely to change defensive schemes

Packers

January 22, 2009|By Dan Pompei

MOBILE, Ala. — The Bears aren't making drastic changes in their defense, but the teams they play most frequently are.

The Bears' coaching staff, in fact, spent some time between Senior Bowl practices discussing the changing face of defenses in the NFC North over lunch at Wintzell's Oyster House, a local institution that opened its doors in 1938.

"Our division is going to be different from in the past when all the defenses were pretty much the same, or very similar," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said in reference to changes the Packers and Lions are making.

In Green Bay, the hiring of Dom Capers as defensive coordinator means the NFC North will have its first 3-4 defense in many years. Capers has a history with the front going back to his days working in the USFL. He also has been associated with 3-4 defenses in Pittsburgh, Carolina, Jacksonville, Houston, Miami and, most recently, New England.

The 3-4 has the potential to be a very effective scheme in the NFC North in part because it is different from the norm. The 3-4 has been most popular in the AFC, where there are seven teams playing it.

But the Packers will be only the third team in the NFC to use it, joining Dallas and San Francisco. The Bears didn't play a single 3-4 team last season.

"It's about preparation," Capers was quoted as saying at his introductory news conference this week. "When you go into training camp you're going to designate so much time for the people you're playing against. If you have to go five or six weeks playing against a 4-3 and then a 3-4 pops up ... I [once] felt we had a tremendous advantage [using the 3-4]."

The Bears will spend plenty of time in the off-season preparing for it because they will face the 3-4 against the Steelers, Browns, 49ers, Ravens and Packers twice if Baltimore doesn't switch after the departure of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.

Turner and his staff will be evaluating how best to attack a three-man front.

"A lot of it has to do with who their personnel is," he said. "It changes some things, some of your protection schemes and some of your run fronts."

In 2006 and 2007, the Bears played six teams that used a 3-4 as their primary front. In those games, the Bears averaged 15 points and lost four.

It will be interesting to see how the Packers' personnel makes the transition. The most important move probably will be Aaron Kampman going from defensive end to outside linebacker. At 29, the former Pro Bowler and seven-year veteran likely will be asked to slim down and learn new techniques.

One pro scout said the transition might not be the best thing for Nick Barnett, who will go from middle linebacker to inside linebacker. A.J. Hawk also likely will shift to inside linebacker. And outside linebacker Brandon Chillar might not have a position that suits him.

On the defensive line, the Packers likely will have Cullen Jenkins and Johnny Jolly at end, with Ryan Pickett playing nose.

The Lions' changes won't be as drastic, but their game plans likely will be considerably different from what they have been. New coach Jim Schwartz is expected to implement the Titans' defensive scheme and abandon the Tampa-2 approach Rod Marinelli had used.

That means more pressures, more aggressive and ambitious coverages and fewer zone defenses.

"It's a little different from what most people do," Turner said. "You see some different combinations coverage-wise you don't always see."

The Lions' personnel will limit Schwartz some initially because it had been assembled to fit Marinelli's philosophy. A number of those players will be weeded out, some quicker than others.

The changes ultimately mean the potential for blown assignments will be greater than it has been for offenses in the NFC North. But the changes also mean the established teams in the division -- the Vikings and Bears -- might be able to capitalize on two rivals in transition.

These days, there are more than oysters on the plates of Bears offensive coaches.